On both sides of the Yellow River are Shanxi and Shanxi

In the minds of travelers, the Yellow River Shanxi-Shaanxi Grand Canyon is not an eye-catching place, and many people don't even know its specific location. This 700-kilometer gorge starts from Pianguan Laoniuwan in the north and ends at Hejin Yumenkou in the south. There are no steep peaks and steep cliffs like the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. The water is not elegant and elegant, and what people see is the thousands of ravines of the loess and the emptying of the turbid waves of the yellow water.

However, this Yellow River Canyon, which cuts deep into the loess and divides the two provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi, has been included in the top ten most beautiful canyons in China with its unique posture. "Chinese National Geographic" gave it such an authoritative comment : The yellow peaks are like frozen waves, and the yellow waves are like undulating peaks. The water of the Yellow River has become a natural Yellow River chorus here, showing a kind of desolation and simplicity.

Desolation is often accompanied by magnificence, and simplicity reveals the power of simplicity.

This is the most beautiful canyon in China. Walking along the beautiful curve of the Yellow River, the magnificent landscape of the rushing river is staged here in turn.

This is a route with unique scenery, passing through the thousand-year-old ferry on both sides of the river, where the vicissitudes and desolation of Yuanmao River are fully displayed.

I have long been fascinated by the Yellow River, but the reason for this self-driving trip along the Yellow River in Shanxi and Shaanxi was the news of the opening of a sightseeing road along the Yellow River in Shaanxi, which gave us a new understanding of the scenery along the Yellow River. In the past, I only knew Wave Valley, Pagoda Mountain, Hukou Waterfall, and Qiankun Bay in Shanxi and Shanxi. Now I look around along the Yellow River Canyon, and I know Pianguan Laoniuwan, Qikou Lijiashan, Fugu Lianhuayu, and Wubao Stone City. , Xianglu Temple in Jiaxian County, and Erlang Mountain in Shenmu, all of which are wonderful places with loess cultural customs, make us yearn even more. Therefore, we designed this travel route that takes the Yellow River Shanxi-Shaanxi Grand Canyon as the main line to radiate both sides of Shanxi and Shanxi.

In September of the golden autumn, I traveled from Beijing to Shanxi-Shanxi Gorge, drove along both sides of the Yellow River for 14 days, traveled 14 counties and cities in Shanxi-Shanxi, and traveled 3,000 kilometers round-trip. This is an urgent march-style trip. Although there is no camping, there is a wind meal at noon, saving time for the journey. When we appreciate the scenery, we are more concerned about understanding the customs, because it is not the scenery that wins here, but the unique cultural history and natural elements. 14 days of wind and rain, let us see the thickness of the loess, appreciate the surging Yellow River, and feel the majestic vicissitudes of the Yuanmo River.

Day 1: Beijing South Railway Station - Shanxi Pianguan Laoniu Bay

The whole journey is 590 kilometers, and the high-speed toll is 215 yuan

Driving route: Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Expressway/G4, Zhangshi Expressway/G95, Rongwu Expressway/G18, Fanhe Expressway/S40, S249, Shuiming Line

In the afternoon, visit Pianguan County and stay overnight at Laoniuwan Shenniu Mountain Villa

Depart from Beijing at 6 o'clock in the morning to start the journey of Shanxi-Shaanxi Yellow River. Now self-driving travel is much more convenient, the roads are accessible, and the navigation is convenient. Turn on the mobile phone to set the destination, pass through Zijing Pass, Pingxing Pass, Yanmen Pass, and Ningwu Pass all the way, and arrive at Pianguan County in the west of Xinzhou, Shanxi in 7 hours.

The reason why Pianguan is set as the first stop of the Shanxi-Shanxi trip is because it is the first county where the Yellow River enters Shanxi, and it is also the place where the Shanxi-Shaanxi Grand Canyon begins. In Laoniu Bay in the northwest corner of it, the Yellow River collides there. The gate of Shanxi.

Pianguan, known as Piantouguan in ancient times, is located in the northwest of the city, close to Hetao, and separated from Monan by a river. Historically, it was the Ping Fan of Jin Dynasty that resisted the aggression of nomadic peoples. Pianguan, Ningwu and Yanmen are collectively called the Three Passes outside the Great Wall. Because it is the first pass of defense, it is called "the first pass of the three passes". The wide and spectacular "Sanguan Shouyu" archway gives people a heavy aesthetic feeling. It stands on the bank of Pianguan River, and inside is the Wenbi Street of the county seat. The latest buildings of Pianguan are distributed on both sides. far east.

After simply eating some portable food, I started to climb the Dongshan Mountain next to the county government. There are 488 steps in one go, and the top is condescending, and the whole city can be seen in the panoramic view.

Pianguan has always favored martial arts and literature since ancient times. The Pianguan Tower in the city, the Hutou Pier on the West Hill, and the Wenbi Pagoda on the top of the East Hill are known as the three major landmarks of Pianguan. The Pianguan Tower, where the battle flags once flew, and the Hutoudun, where the smoldering wolves were everywhere, witnessed the shadow of swords and swords 600 years ago. The towering Wenbi Tower on the top of Dongshan looks a bit different in the cold frontier where the battlements are scattered, perhaps because it has been ravaged by wars. The intruders still harbor deep in their hearts the hope for peace and the longing for civilization.

When you walk into Pianguan, you will walk into history. There are many vicissitudes and historic sites here, and there are attractive customs, but this is not our destination today. We have to move on and go to the most remote military fort in Pianguan. Old Niuwan Fort. It is 40 kilometers from the county seat to Laoniuwan, with half of the provincial road and half of the rural road. Driving in this place in Shanxi is generally reluctant to take the provincial road. There are too many large vehicles transporting coal. Although the rural road is narrow and winding, it is Very quiet. It was the first time I drove into the Loess Plateau by myself, and everything felt fresh. I stopped the car from time to time on the road to enjoy the vicissitudes of the loess landform.

As the sun was setting, we finally saw the iconic landscape of Lao Niu Bay—the yellow-red river and the solid beacon towers on the bank under the setting sun. Old Niuwan Fort, a garrison castle 500 years ago, is located on the cliff on the east bank of the canyon, like a bull's head protruding into the Yellow River, glaring at the fierce horses and desert on the other side.

The descendants of the castle have already chosen a place to live in the village, and they built a bright brick kiln not far away. Under the leadership of the government, smart people turned the castle into a place for sightseeing and reminiscing about the past. Lanterns were hung on stone gates, and ancient kilns were renovated into guest rooms. It can't stop the footsteps of tourists from all over the world. We booked the Shenniu Villa cave dwelling in the scenic spot on the way, and the enthusiastic boss drove us to the entrance of the village and took us into the scenic spot. Although the house price was a bit high, it didn’t cost us much. The boss is from Ordos, Inner Mongolia, and he took out his ID card during the greetings. He was born in the same year, the same month, and the same day, which seems to be a bit of fate.

A bonfire party is being held in the square outside the scenic area. The car rally organized by Shanxi is holding a launching ceremony of "Looking at the Yellow River, Walking the Great Wall, and Crossing the Taihang". Local officials and driving masters from all over the province brave the autumn cold to sit and watch. The suona with strong local color and the rap with Shanxi accent are more exciting than the other.

The night in Shanxi in September was so cold that people who couldn't stand the cold ran to the back to warm themselves by the fire. This stove tower built with briquettes has a unique shape, and the high-quality Shanxi bituminous coal emits a lot of heat when burned. Although the show was very exciting and the coal fire was very strong, but the clothes were a bit thin, so I had to give up watching and go back to the cave to rest.

The guest room we live in is a stone cave built by soldiers hundreds of years ago. It is on the bank of the Yellow River wharf. Lying on the kang of the cave, you can hear the sound of the Yellow River. This is the first time you live in a cave. , the kang is a little hard, the room is a little cold, and a little excited.

Day 2 itinerary: Pianguan Laoniuwan - Hequ County

The whole journey is 90 kilometers, and the traveling route is Wanlao Line, S249/Yanhuang Highway.

Visit Laoniuwan Scenic Spot in the morning, visit Qiankun Bay Scenic Spot and Niangniang Beach on the way, and stay at Jiuhua Business Hotel in Hequ County in the evening

The alarm clock was set the day before, and I wanted to get up early in the morning to watch the sunrise in Laoniu Bay. It was still pitch black at 6 o'clock, and the Yellow River below the cliff could only hear the sound but could not see the water flow clearly. In the dark, we walked along the path by the cliff to Hutoudun, the northernmost point of the military fort. The east is about to dawn, the morning light is slightly dew, the rushing water of the Yellow River has awakened the sleeping castle, the dawn glow fills the sky, the rising sun dyes the cliffside piers red, and illuminates the river in the bay.

Laoniu Bay is the first bay where the Yellow River enters Shanxi. Here, the Yellow River flows gracefully and slowly, fully showing the soft and charming side of the mother river.

Laoniuwan is the first village where the Yellow River enters Shanxi. The water of the Yellow River rolls in from a distance and rushes down, thus opening the curtain of the passionate performance in the Shanxi-Shaanxi Grand Canyon.

Lao Niu Bay is the first barrier of the Central Plains defense. Lao Niuwan Pier, known as the "No. 1 Pier in the World", is a lookout post for the former enemy. When the iron hooves approach, it will ignite beacon smoke, conveying the enemy's situation from the Yellow River to the East and South Great Walls.

Laoniuwan is the place where the Great Wall of the Yellow River shook hands for the first time. The surging Yellow River that originated from the glacier in Qinghai meanders nine times, and the majestic Great Wall that rises from the shore of the Bohai Sea dances with silver snakes. The two giant dragons that symbolize the spirit of the Chinese nation met for the first time here, and then went south side by side, hand in hand. Flying, forming a magnificent landscape of the Zisai River.

Laoniuwan is a place where chicken smells and three counties. It faces Zhungeer Banner of Inner Mongolia across the Yellow River in the east, and Qingshuihe County in Inner Mongolia across Yangjiachuan in the north, and this place in the north is also called Laoniu Bay, so that some travelers often mistakenly go to the territory of Inner Mongolia.

Such a small military fort carries too much history. Laoniuwan began as a military fort in the early Ming Dynasty. For hundreds of years, the army came and went. After the Qing Dynasty, the role of the military gradually weakened, and the soldiers also abandoned the army and became farmers. We walked into the gate of the military fort, where there is Wengcheng, where the enemy troops who break in will be caught in the urn, and it extends to dozens of stone kilns on the bank of the Yellow River, where the soldiers on the border once lived. Time has passed, and the strong frontier fortress in those days has been ruined by stone kilns, and only the outline remains.

When you enter Laoniuwan Fort, you will enter a stone world. Stone kilns, stone walls, stone benches, stone stoves, and even the ground in front of and behind the houses are all huge natural stone slabs. , and can only disappear by the evaporation of the sun.

Artists in the fort are performing "Farewell to the Newlyweds", which is popular in the local area. The sad tune of Errentai makes people feel the infinite sadness of being reluctantly separated for the sake of livelihood. The cracked roads on the Yellow River tidal flats are like the gullies on the Loess Plateau, dry and barren. The ancient ferry on the tidal flat used to be a passage to the west exit. It witnessed the tragic history of people crossing the Yellow River westward and leaving their homes.

In people's minds, the Yellow River should be like a wild man with strong ambitions, but the Yellow River in front of him is so calm, like a gentle young woman, quietly accompanying the silent castle on the bank. It is like a pool of lake water, and the speedboat passed by, drawing a white line; it is like a mirror, with the sun slanting, reflecting the cliffs hanging on both sides.

The sun is rising continuously, and the light and shadow on the west wall of the Yellow River are gradually decreasing and disappearing. A large number of tourists living outside the scenic spot are about to enter the ancient castle, and Laoniuwan will usher in a new day of hustle and bustle.

The flames of war have dissipated, and the Zisai River has survived. After 600 years of change, Laoniuwan has long been changed. The speedboats that went to the Yellow River to hit the water were moored at the ancient ferry that went to the west entrance; The rise of Old Niuwan Fort originated from war, and the rebirth of Old Niuwan Fort has been attributed to peace. Lao Niu Bay, an ancient castle reborn after its defeat, is a sightseeing place worth staying for a few days.

Leave Laoniu Bay at 10 am and go to Qiankun Bay 5 kilometers away. It belongs to the same scenic spot as Laoniu Bay and shares a ticket. The tall gate tower of the scenic spot is impressively written with "the first bend of the Yellow River in the world". I don't know where the Yellow River is. How many Qiankun bays are there? I don't know which bay is the number one. In order to attract tourists, they can call themselves names. Anyway, no one checks the evaluation. In order to develop the tourism industry, some people have invested in building a lot of pavilions and corridors here, but what people are interested in is the natural bay of the Yellow River.

Leaving Qiankun Bay and continuing to the Hequ, the remaining 80 kilometers are all Shanxi Provincial Highway S249. This section of the Yellow Highway sometimes winds around the mountains and sometimes runs along the river. The old potholes are full of loads or empty loads. The rumbling of the freight truck was annoying. The drivers of these large vehicles are familiar with the roads and experienced, and they are desperate to drive. The heavy-duty large vehicles that crawl slowly make it difficult for you to overtake them, and the empty large vehicles are chasing after you. Feel guilty and have to pull over comity. The Yellow River came to the Hequ Longkou Water Conservancy Project, and finally roared out of the narrow valley. Below the dam, the river suddenly widened and the water flow slowed down. The Yellow River entered an open and gentle valley.

"Nine bends and eighteen bends of the Yellow River, the legend is nothing more than Niangniang Beach. After thousands of years of vicissitudes, it still occupies the middle of the river." Niangniangtan is known as "the first island in the world on the Yellow River". It is the only island in the Yellow River waterway with villages inhabited. There are a lot of tourists who go to the island because of their fame. From an inconspicuous place along the Yellow Highway to the shore is the ferry, and you can take a boat to the island for 20 yuan and back. Crossing the Yellow River on a villager's motor boat, under the boat is the rapids of the river, on the shore is the continuous Great Wall, two barriers guarding the Central Plains side by side, feeling a strong taste of frontier fortresses

Niangniangtan is not a mediocre place. It is said that Liu Bang, the great ancestor of the Han Dynasty, usurped the throne after the death of Empress Lu. The young Hanwen Emperor Liu Heng took refuge here with his mother, Empress Dowager Bo, for 16 years. Later, Liu Heng became emperor and built a Niangniang Temple on the beach. named.

The island is full of trees and lush crops. We first watched the scenery around the Yellow River along the path around the island, and then walked through the dirt road to the villagers' homes to feel the pastoral style. This is still a pure original ecology. Someone once proposed to develop this place into a Yellow River water park. The unique resources should still be quite attractive.

After arriving at Hequ County, we went straight to Xikou Ancient Ferry, which is the place we most want to see when we come to Hequ. Unfortunately, the viewing platform built on the bank of the Yellow River was destroyed by the flood. The name of Hequ County comes from the twists and turns of the Yellow River in this place. Like most people, my previous understanding of it was limited to the poignant Hequ folk song "Go to the West Gate": Brother, you go to the West Gate, little sister, I am really It's hard to stay; holding my brother's hand, I send my brother to the gate.

Hequ is a place where roosters crow in three provinces, but the crowing is louder and needs to cross the Yellow River to reach the other side. On the opposite bank of Xikou Ancient Ferry, on the right is Dakou Ferry in Zhungeer Banner, Inner Mongolia, and on the left is Dashan Ferry, Fugu, Shaanxi. According to the records of Hequ County, the ancient Xikou Ferry can be traced back to the Han Dynasty and extended to the Sui and Tang Dynasties. The Song Dynasty conducted trade with Khitan, Liao, and Xia. The Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties had more frequent economic and trade transactions. It can not only trade with Mongolia, but also allow Hemin to cultivate Mongolian fields. The wharf, the Silk Road, the convergence of merchants, the gathering of boats crossing the river, the miscellaneous places in five directions, the multitude of soldiers and civilians, and the fireworks of thousands of families are here. Judging from the records of the county annals, this ferry is not only a passage for the poor to leave their homes, but also a cornerstone for business people to accumulate wealth.

We can't see the ferry, we can only look at the River Temple in the square above the ferry. Hequ continues an ancient custom. Every year on July 15th, the River Lantern Festival will be held in front of the Heshen Temple. In the past, it was used to save the souls of the people who died at the west entrance. Now it has evolved into a festival. Cultural Carnival. Just half a month before we arrived here, the fireworks were lifted into the sky, the river lights were floating, the colorful neon lights on the shore, and the auspicious lights on the river surface were shining, which attracted countless river residents from Shanxi, Shaanxi and Mongolia to sing and dance here. As a folk custom, the River Lantern Festival was stopped during the Cultural Revolution for promoting feudal superstition, but now it is included in the national intangible cultural heritage list.

Hequ County is not big. The 4-kilometer-long Yellow River Street runs across the east and west just like Chang'an Street in Beijing. Two exquisitely crafted archways stand at both ends of the Yellow River Street. We drove from the ancient ferry at the west end of the archway at the west end to the archway at the east end. The Wenbi Pagoda.

Wenbi Pagoda, also known as Zhuangyuan Pagoda, is shaped like a big brush that stands upright from the ground. In the minds of the Chinese people, the pagoda is a thing to exorcise evil spirits and seek good fortune. There must be a reason for building a pagoda in a place, and many stories will be derived from it. The Wenbi Pagoda in Hequ was built to balance the transportation of the earth. It is said that the poor Hequ was trying to get rich and gather money to make money. The county officials and squires invited geologists to comment on Hequ. The key point is to step on the embankment of the Yellow River at the end and suddenly see Dakou Village in Inner Mongolia on the opposite bank. County officials and squires decided to build a pagoda to suppress monsters, and the 31-meter-high Wenbi Pagoda pierced into the sky soon, and the projection of the rafters in the early morning was like a long rope crossing the Yellow River to town on the monster's head. Coincidentally, Hequ began to prosper since the Wenbi Pagoda was built during the Qianlong period, and later it became a water and land wharf that Shanxi merchants traveling from south to north must pass through.

The moat tower in the northwest of the city is a well-preserved Great Wall enemy tower in Hequ. It is a square beacon tower built by Qi Jiguang on the Great Wall in order to resist the invasion of Moxi Mongolia by the Ming Dynasty court. The moat is six feet high, nine feet wide, surrounded by nine kilns and eighteen holes, and the word "Zhenlu" is engraved on the forehead. After the war subsided, people built the Yuhuang Pavilion on the top of the moat. Warn the military and civilians not to be lazy.　　

After staying at Jiuhua Business Hotel for a short rest, we went out to find food. Next to the hotel is a local brand of Xingongfu vinegar shop, and the walls are full of pictures of vinegar making in Xingongfu. People in Shanxi are known as “Old Man’s Children”, and people in Hequ also don’t eat without jealousy. There is a local saying: If a man is not jealous, his relationship will not be rich; Old people are not jealous, the more they live, the more confused they become; how can they not be jealous when they often live in Hequ? It can be seen that the feelings of Hequ people for vinegar are not ordinary. We have to buy two boxes of such famous regular original balsamic vinegar.

Wantuo is a snack in Hequ, which is liked by men, women and children. I ate a bowl at the market next to the hotel. The taste was similar to that of jelly in the mainland, and I didn't feel much after eating it. A lady who looks like a cadre said that bowl trays are sometimes a regular meal for people in Hequ. She also said that Hequ also has better-tasting Yellow River carp, and the one next to the county government makes the best ones.

After walking two or three kilometers along the Yellow River Street, I found this restaurant. In fact, what Hequ pays attention to is the open river fish when the ice and snow melt, and it is a kind of red-eyed golden-scale stone carp with a red line on its spine. In the past, local officials presented them as tributes to the emperor. Although the one in front of me is not the kind of open river fish that is offered as a tribute, it is indeed a veritable Yellow River carp, and it tastes really good. Here we not only ate the Yellow River fish, but also drank a bottle of Hequ unique sea red fruit drink, which is known by the locals as the Coca-Cola of arid areas. Haihong fruit is not the hawthorn we often say, but the fruit of crabapple. Haihongshu is a rare tree species unique to the Hequ area. Because the fruit is rich in nutrition, it is regarded as a "money tree". Hongzi, it is best to raise a good son."

There is also a delicacy in Hequ, called Hequ Sour Rice, which is a mouthful of breakfast for local people in all seasons. According to the records of "Hequ County Chronicles", during the Northern Song Dynasty, there was a sudden attack by Liao soldiers, and the people fled after leaving behind the rice that was still soaked in water. A few days later, the soldiers returned home and found that the rice had fermented and turned sour, so they cooked it to satisfy their hunger, but it turned out to be sour, delicious and fragrant. Since then, the sour rice has been included in the history of Hequ's traditional diet. The next day, the hotel had this sour rice for breakfast. After I tasted it, it was so sour that I couldn't swallow it. It's not that it's not delicious, it's really not used to it.

Day 3 Itinerary: Hequ County, Shanxi - Fugu County, Shaanxi

The whole journey is 100 kilometers, and the driving route is S245/Yanhuang Highway and Yanhuang Sightseeing Road.

On the way, visit the scenic spots of three provinces of Jiming in Shaanxi, Lianhuayu scenic spot, the first bay where the Yellow River enters Shaanxi, and stay overnight at Fugu Xingmao Hotel

The opposite bank of Xikou Ancient Ferry is Lianhuabi, which we will go to in a while, but the Yellow River has become a natural barrier for our vehicles to pass, and the straight-line distance of less than 1 kilometer needs to be detoured for 40 kilometers to reach it. After breakfast, drive northward for 20 kilometers, pass the Longkou Yellow River Bridge and enter the boundary of Zhungeer Banner in Inner Mongolia, and then head south to Fugu, Shaanxi.

Entering the west bank of the Yellow River, autumn rains began to fall from the sky. Driving along the monotonous yellow land, we came to this land of three provinces, and the scenery in front of us suddenly became colorful. There are ravines everywhere beside the road, in the fields, and beside the village. Maoyan has become red and white rocks, these earth-like, sand-like, stone-like terrains, some are like a needle, some are like a pier, some are like a grave mound, some are like a copper wall and iron wall. .

Geologists call it "sandstone", which is like mud when it meets water and sand when it meets wind. It is the main source of coarse sand in the Yellow River Basin, and it is also the chief culprit for the "hanging river" in the lower reaches of the Yellow River. Ecological Cancer". Although the words "arsenic and cancer" are terrifying, due to its uniqueness and scarcity, it has become a valuable resource for local development and utilization.

This kind of landform is called lotus flower, and it is said that it was given by Kangxi when he passed here. A sign on the side of the road introduces the general situation of the lotus 辿 landform: the lotus 辿 is composed of red and white, exposed on the ground, layered on top of each other, with interlaced peaks and ridges, and ravines matching each other. This unique natural scenery is commonly known as "pork belly" locally. It is a veritable "Danxia Landform Geopark".

Entering the boundary of Shaanxi, it is the starting point of 0 kilometers along Huangguan Road, starting from Fugu Qiangtou Township in the north, and arriving at the foot of Huashan Mountain 800 kilometers away in the south. This is a pure tourist road, and large trucks are prohibited from entering the whole road, like a link connecting dozens of scenic spots scattered on the west bank of the Yellow River. This is a self-driving road that is definitely worth traveling from north to south. Along the winding and undulating road, you can feel the humanistic charm of the Yellow River Road, appreciate the majestic rush of the river, and appreciate the magnificent wonders of the loess land.

This is the boundary marker of the three provinces of Jiming at 0 km, and Shaanxi is building a viewing plank road by the river and on the top of the mountain.

2 kilometers along the Huangguan Road is the Lianhuayuan Scenic Area. We followed the roadside signs and drove up a mountain. This is the best place to watch the scenery of Lianhuayuan. The landforms belong to the Zhungeer Banner of Inner Mongolia. Now it is free to visit. If there is a fee, Shaanxi should be allocated to Inner Mongolia.

Standing on the viewing platform and looking down, the scenery in front of you is shocking. The tens of meters deep pit looks like a pool of lotus buds blooming. It is amazing, and the works of sounds of nature are all amazing.

I thought that under the thick soil in northern Shaanxi, there was only a vast sea of ​​Wujin coal, but I didn't expect that such an attractive red sandstone was buried under it. According to the people here, the lotus flowers under the setting sun are really beautiful like brocade clothes. Although the rain has lost their luster and the water mist has made the vision not so far away, these rare scenery have already surprised us. Few people know about Lianhuabi now. Presumably with the completion of Huangguan Road, Lianhuabi will definitely attract more people's attention.

5 kilometers along the Huangguan Road is the scenic spot of the first bay where the Yellow River enters Shaanxi. The high viewing platform is condescending, overlooking the Yellow River and Shanxi. The Yellow River comes from far away, leaves Inner Mongolia and flows into Shaanxi, forming a nearly 360-degree beautiful bay in this land of three provinces.

Arriving at Fugu, it was already the beginning of the lights, and the high-rise buildings and bustling street scene did not look like a county town in the northwest. Fugu is located in the hinterland of Shenfu-Dongsheng Coalfield, which has attracted worldwide attention. With its rich natural resources and the important hub of the country's west-to-east coal transportation, west-to-east power transmission, and west-to-east gas transmission, Fugu has become one of the top 100 county economies in the country. The Xingmao Hotel I stayed at belonged to a private group, which had everything from raw coal, tar, ferrosilicon, real estate, pawnshops, hotels and other projects.

Day 4 Itinerary: Fugu County - Shenmu City

The whole journey is 70 kilometers, and the driving route is along Huangguan Road and Cangyu Expressway/G1812.

Visit Fugu Old Town and Shenlong Mountain in the morning, visit Shenmu Erlang Mountain Scenic Area in the afternoon, and stay at Shenmu Jinhailong Hotel for the night

Ancient Fuchang, today's Fugu, treasures are hidden in thousands of mountains, and gold is contained in thousands of waters. Fugu County belongs to Yulin, Shaanxi Province. It faces Baode, Shanxi Province across the river and is geographically connected by a bridge. In history, the Qin and Jin Dynasties were good. However, due to the difference in resources, Fugu's strength is obviously superior.

Most of the cities along the Yellow River in northern Shaanxi are related to the military. The continuous wars in ancient times have formed countless towering and precipitous mountain cities surrounded by mountains and rivers. From a distance, these mountain cities look like isolated islands rising from the ground. It is the raised heads of tigers descending from the mountain. The old city of Fugu is such a steep castle. This thousand-year-old old city was built on the top of a rocky mountain on the bank of the Yellow River, with one side facing the water and three cliffs. It can symbolically put a cold gun across the bank and put a cold gun to scare the people who are farming.

On the sandstone mountain of this old city, Fugu people turned it into a cultural wall. They engraved more than 40 inscriptions praising Fugu from cultural celebrities such as Chen Zhongshi and Jia Pingwa on the cliff. Chairman Mao praised "Northern Shaanxi is a good place". This huge cliff carving has become a unique landscape of Fugu, but it always gives people a messy feeling.

Shenlong Mountain is a hilltop garden park for people to relax and entertain. Last night at the hotel, I saw the Shenlong Mountain behind the night. Thousands of sun lanterns looked like stars under the vast night sky. The four characters of "Fugu of Happiness" composed of star lanterns were particularly eye-catching, echoing the brightly lit county town below the mountain. I'm afraid it will also make Shanxi Baode on the other side envious.

Eat some bread and drink some bottle of water on this mountain, and then proceed to Shenmu after a short rest. Today, we will temporarily leave the Yellow River for a few days, and go to Yushen and Yansui to see the elegance of the hinterland of northern Shaanxi. It is an 80-kilometer highway from Fugu to Shenmu, and it takes one hour to reach the Erlang Mountain Scenic Area in Shenmu.

The main sightseeing spot of Shenmu is Erlang Mountain on the edge of the county seat. This is a strangely shaped mountain. Looking from the side, it looks like a camel and a pen holder. The slender mountain protrudes above the Kuye River and Tugou Between the rivers, on the ridge less than one kilometer long, more than 100 palaces and pavilions of strange shapes were densely built. This is a national 4A-level scenic spot, and it is surprising that no tickets are charged.

Erlang Mountain is a group of temples built in the Ming Dynasty. The main hall is the Erlang Temple, which was built to commemorate the two sons of Li Bing who made great achievements in managing the Kuye River. Touring in Erlang Mountain, you will not get lost or suffer from visual fatigue. You can walk to the end along the trail on the ridge, and you can see temples of different shapes every step of the way.

Not long after arriving on the mountain, dark clouds rolled in from the southwest. After a while, the wind howled, the rain poured down, and a big tree was broken in the middle. There were no tourists on the mountain anymore. He hesitated whether to go down the mountain immediately or take shelter temporarily, and finally made the right choice to wait. After a torrential rain for half an hour, the black clouds finally gradually left from the top of the head.

Although there was no rainbow after the storm, when the soft sunset came, the light gradually illuminated the various temples on the mountain, and also illuminated the beautiful city of Shenmu.

A torrential rain increased the flow of the Kuye River in the dry season at the foot of the mountain. Under the backlight, the water glowed brightly and flowed unrestrainedly. The Kuye River is a first-class tributary of the Yellow River, flowing through the desert and the loess plateau. Its rainy season is July and August every year. When the flood surges, it sweeps like a mountain collapse, and what flows into the Yellow River is basically mud. The Kuye River in front of us doesn't seem so scary, because after years of governance, the main color of the Kuye River has already begun to gradually change from yellow to green.

Day 5: Shenmu City - Yulin City

The whole journey is 180 kilometers, and the high-speed toll is 85 yuan

Driving route: Cangyu Expressway/G1812, Shenmi Expressway/S11.

Visit Gaojiabao in the morning, arrive in the north of Yulin City in the afternoon, visit Zhenbeitai and Hongshixia scenic spots, and stay at Changxing International Hotel in Yulin at night.

After breakfast, go to Gaojiabao, 50 kilometers southwest of the county seat. It is a well-preserved Ming Dynasty castle in the entire northern Shaanxi area. Otherwise, the TV series "Ordinary World" would not use it as a location, but it is precisely because of this The popularity of this drama made this small town hidden deep in the loess ravine attract the attention of the outside world.

"Ordinary World" is the painstaking work of the writer Lu Yao, and it is also a jewel in the crown of the Mao Dun Literature Award. It describes the story of the impoverished young people in northern Shaanxi in the 1970s who were inspired to move forward. Some of the plaques and slogans used in the filming of TV dramas in those years are still preserved, and those who are newcomers thought they were in the original Xi County.

In history, Gaojiabao was not only an important frontier town, but also a large commercial town between Yushenjian. In the early days of liberation, it served as the county seat of Shenfu County for several years. Walking into the city gate and climbing up the Zhongxing Building in the center of the town, you can overlook the four main streets radiating to the southeast and northwest and the bungalow courtyards of the entire city alley.

The pace of the town is slow, because it is rare to see energetic young people, children are laughing and playing carefree, and old people are talking calmly.

I heard that there was a Shimao ruins nearby, so I drove 5 kilometers to a mountain in the north of the town. At present, it is still in an archaeological state and is not open to tourists. The management staff is very friendly. Seeing us coming from afar, let us enter the reception room and archaeological shed to see the images of the ruins and the excavation site. Judging from the excavated pottery jade stone tools and human bone stone walls, it is preliminarily determined that the Shimao site is a stone city 4,000 years ago, and it may also be the capital of the Yellow Emperor. Archaeologists describe its discovery as "shocking", and hailed the Shimao site as "the eve of Chinese civilization" as "the world's top ten field archaeological discoveries" and "the world's major archaeological discoveries in the 21st century". A bit disappointing to the enthusiasm of the staff, we are actually not interested in archeology, we just came here because we didn’t know it, stayed for half an hour, and hurried to Yulin.

There are two famous scenic spots 10 kilometers north of Yulin City, one is Zhenbeitai and the other is Hongshi Gorge. The distance between the two scenic spots is only 3 kilometers, and it is more than enough to see the two scenic spots together in half a day. It is a 100-kilometer expressway from Gaojiabao to Yulin. It arrives at Zhenbeitai at 3:00 pm. A rather domineering couplet at the gate of the scenic spot describes the status of the Zhenbeitai fortress: covering Qin in the south and looking at Hetao Yusai in the north. On the other side, it connects mountains and seas to the east and Jiayu Great Wall to the west.

Yulin was called Yansui Town in ancient times, and it was one of the nine important towns defending the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall of Yansui Town, centered on Zhenbeitai, is surrounded by the vast Mu Us Desert in the north and the vast Loess Plateau in the south. boundaries. Zhenbei Terrace is known as the largest beacon tower on the ancient Great Wall, and has the reputation of "the first tower of the Great Wall". It is also known as the three wonders of the Great Wall along with Shanhaiguan and Jiayuguan.

Entering the scenic spot, you will see willow trees with unique shapes together with the rough and majestic beacon tower. This kind of willow is called dry willow, which is a unique tree species in northern Shaanxi. It is also called "beheaded willow" by the local people because it has to be stubbled every year before winter. The dry willows whose heads have been cut off leave only the thick and short trunks, and the bushy willow branches that re-grow after the beginning of spring are high-spirited to the sky, appearing indomitable. We have praised poplars, and we should also praise this dry willow rooted in the barren loess. Like those poplars that drill into the sky, they show tenacity and strength in extreme environments.

Zhenbei Terrace is 30 meters high and covers an area of ​​5,000 square meters. It is square and trapezoidal and built on four floors. Despite 400 years of wind, frost, rain and snow, it still stands completely on the top of the Red Mountain, showing a rough atmosphere, desolate and dignified infinite charm. . The icy city wall is full of flying bright flags. I don't know how many soldiers and soldiers lived and slept here to resist the Mongolian cavalry.

In fact, the "Zhenbei" of Zhenbeitai is not normalized, and the two sides still negotiate peace when they can't win. The north gate of Zhenbeitai is called Tongqu Gate, and the inside is called "Gong Gong City". It was the place where Mongolian and Han officials negotiated and held tributes. There is also a folk "Yima City" not far away, which was a trading city between Mongolia and Han during the ceasefire period. The place where swords and halberds fight is another scene of peaceful trading with camels barking and horses neighing and voices buzzing.

Standing on the high Zhenbei Terrace, you can see Yulin City in the south and the horizon in the north, and you can see an oasis everywhere. Today's Yansui has long since cleared the smoke and the ethnic groups are integrated. Zhenbeitai is no longer a military facility. It attracts people to stop and take pictures as a tourist attraction, looking at the great rivers and mountains of the motherland.

On the way to Hongshi Gorge, it started to rain in the sky. Hongshi Gorge is the Yuxi River Valley at the foot of Hongshan Mountain. Because there are red stones on both sides, it is named Hongshi Gorge. The Hongshixia Scenic Spot is about 400 meters long along both sides of the river. In addition to the scenery of confronting red cliffs and rolling torrents, the ancient grotto temples and cliff carvings on the cliffs are its two major attractions.

The earliest relics in Hongshi Gorge are the temples and grottoes excavated in the Song and Yuan dynasties. According to historical records, there are 44 caves on the cliff. There were stone statues and clay statues in the caves, but they were damaged during the Cultural Revolution and there are few left.

The rock carvings on the cliffs of Hongshi Gorge have the reputation of "fortress on the forest of steles". Literati, inkmen and even generals in Yulin like to inscribe poems and characters on Hongshi Gorge to express their lofty ambitions of stationing at the frontier. Some praise the scenic spot, and some describe the danger. , some expressed their defense of unity, among which Zuo Zongtang's "Yuxi Resort" and Ma Zhanshan's "Return My River and Mountain" are particularly famous.

Hongshixia is the filming location of the movie "Evil in the East and Poison in the West". "Red Mountain Sunset" is one of the famous eight scenic spots in ancient Yulin. Yu drove to the city and stayed at the Changxing International Hotel in the north of the city.

Day 6 Yulin - Jia County

The whole journey is 180 kilometers, and the high-speed toll is 55 yuan

Driving route: Yulan Expressway/G6521, Zaozhang Road, Wujia Road.

Visit Li Zicheng Palace in Mizhi County in the morning, visit Chiniudan Village in Jia County in the afternoon, and stay at Jia County Hotel in the evening.

It is said that Mizhi’s mother-in-law and aunt Suide’s Han, there is no reason not to go to Mizhi and Suide when they come to northern Shaanxi. Let's take a look at a man among the mother-in-law and aunt. This man is Li Zicheng from Mizhi. We drove 2 hours from Yulin to Li Zicheng's Palace on Panlong Mountain in the north of Mizhi City.

Li Zicheng has been fond of guns since he was a child. He has been a monk, a postman, and a prisoner. One man, You Fen, with hundreds of thousands of people, Li Zicheng held high the banner of "equaling land and exempting taxes", led a million troops, entered Shanxi, broke Taiyuan, fought Ningwu, and took Yanjing, finally overthrew the Ming Dynasty and established Dashun imperial industry. Although King Li Chuang only stayed in the Forbidden City for 42 days, he is worthy of being a hero of the generation who changed the dynasty, and it is indeed the glory of the Shaanxi people.

The totem of the coiling dragon bred the emperor of Yongchang, and the rice juice nourished the beauty of the moon. Not only did peasant uprising leader Li Zicheng, enlightened man Li Dingming, educator Du Bincheng, and anti-Japanese general Du Yuming emerge in Mizhi, but Mizhi’s mothers-in-law, Diao Chan, Gao Guiying, Cao Xiuqing, Du Huanqing, Ma Peilan, Chang Jian, etc. Rong and Gao Yilan, whether they are beautiful and handsome or have extraordinary virtues, they can all be called heroes among women.

In the current Li Zicheng Palace, in addition to the Li Zicheng Exhibition Hall and the Mizhi County Museum, there is also a special "Exhibition of Historic Sites of Aunt Mizhi". The walls of the exhibition hall are covered with pictures of outstanding Mizhi mothers-in-law. Whether they are all-powerful heroes, outstanding experts, hard-working virtuous wives and mothers, all of them are beautiful. As for why Mizhi can produce so many outstanding mothers-in-law and aunts, one is because of the sweetness of Mizhi’s millet, and the other is because of Mizhi’s prospering style of writing. Mizhi is known as the "Cultural County of Northern Shaanxi". The girls' school established at the beginning of the last century was even more famous. At that time, many Mizhi girls applied what they learned, which made the phrase "Diaochan's hometown, Mizhi mother-in-law" widely spread. Spoken language is richer.

After leaving the palace, we walked around the nearby Mizhi Old Town for a while. Mizhi has a history of setting up the county for nearly a thousand years. The north gate of its old city is called Rouyuan Gate. In the north where wars frequently occur, it is rare to call the north gate of the city "Rou". A hope for peace.

People say that when you enter Mizhi, you enter the world of cave dwellings. Entering a courtyard near the north gate, the owner showed a friendly attitude towards strangers entering rashly, not only did not drive them away, but also warmly introduced the layout of the cave courtyard. The roof of this cave dwelling is covered with weeds and the walls have cracks, but the traces of the years can hardly conceal its once luxurious. It is said that the cave-style courtyards in Mizhi were first created by rich families, and later ordinary people rushed to imitate them. Luxurious, ordinary, or simple cave-style courtyards gradually filled the streets and alleys of Mizhi, forming the place of Mizhi. The magnificent ancient city of cave dwellings.

It was almost noon, and the children of Beijie Elementary School were leaving school. In the past, this land had a prosperous literary style, and in the future, there will be a large number of talented people.

The loess is high and the water is rippling, the rice fat and millet are golden, men eat it to become an arhat, and women eat Sai Diaochan. Come to Mizhi, the millet here is a must.

Mizhi is a typical hilly and gully area. There are more than 20,000 hills and 16,000 ditches in the territory, and there are fragmented landscapes everywhere. It is nearly a hundred miles from Mizhi County to Chiniudan Village in Jiaxian County. The navigation shows that this road is called Zaozhang Road.

After two hours of turbulence, I finally saw the stone archway in Chiniudang Village sandwiched between the loess. Chiniutang is a well-known folk culture village in Jiaxian County. The same loess land, the same earthen cave dwellings, the same red jujube trees, but the difference is the minds of Chiniutang people. They use these common resources to start rural tourism. , the poor mountain village on the mountain has turned into a "beautiful village" that is well-known in China.

It is free to visit Chiniutang Village, but you need to buy a 50 yuan ticket to enter its folk museum. Don’t think that the price is high. This is a bundled fee. You can enter the museum to see these interesting exhibits and eat them in the Daguofan canteen A flavor set meal. It’s been the sixth day since I came out. Because of the rush to march every day, all the lunches are filled with bread, biscuits, and instant noodles. When I get here, I will be extravagant and taste the very special yams in northern Shaanxi, Qianqian rice, and soft eggs. Cake, yellow rice cake.

The Folklore Museum is one of the highlights of Chiniuyan. The villagers used 10 holes in the cave, found 50,000 exhibits, and arranged them into 68 exhibition rooms, showing the material, spiritual, and social aspects of the people in northern Shaanxi in the hard times. Although the software and hardware of the exhibition hall are a bit messy and crude, the taste of the original ecology is very strong.

The villagers said that the folk museum is not the most "excellent" in Chiniu, but the ecological live-action drama "A Cow on a High Mountain" written and performed by the villagers. In this drama, the mountains and rivers are the stage, and the villagers They are all actors, and there are performances during the Chinese New Year. Usually, it costs two to three thousand to book a reservation, and CCTV has reported it. I couldn't see "A Cow on a High Mountain", but I saw the marching performance "Big Sedan Chair" performed by a mixed formation of aunts and villagers from the county.

Cave dwellings are a product of the Loess Plateau and a symbol of the people in northern Shaanxi. For thousands of years, people have dug in the loess with a thickness of tens of meters to create cave-style dwellings called "green buildings". Chiniuyan looks up to the vast mountains, and bows to Kongkong cave dwellings. This piece of old cave dwellings is called "cave dwelling tribe, fireworks family", and it is very imposing along the mountain.

Jia County is a mountain city. Some people compare it to a small Chongqing, but the scale and prosperity are too far behind. Jia County stands on the bank of the Yellow River, like a castle facing the river, it is definitely easy to defend and difficult to attack, and the local people say "Tiejia County".

Unexpectedly, the road up the mountain from the bank of the Yellow River to the county is so narrow and winding, and the highest point on the top of the mountain is slightly open. Seeing that there are densely packed hotels, cinemas, and Xinhua Bookstore, it feels like it should be in the county. The heartland is gone, and we live in the old county hotel.

Day 7: Jiaxian, Shaanxi - Qikou, Linxian, Shanxi

The whole journey is 120 kilometers, and the driving route is along Huangguan Road (Shaanxi), Youyi Road, and Yanhuang Highway (Shanxi).

Visit Xianglu Temple in the morning, visit Heyeping Village in Jiaxian County, Erqi on the Yellow River, Wubao Stone City along the way, and stay at Tairenxing Inn in Qikou for the night.

This trip to Jia County has only one purpose, which is to see the Xianglu Temple on the bank of the Yellow River. Xianglu Temple is located on the top of Xianglu Peak, 200 meters east of Jiaxian County. It faces the Yellow River in the east and is empty on three sides. According to the stone stele in the temple, the Xianglu Temple was built in the 42nd year of Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1614 A.D.). After breakfast, in the drizzle, we walked along the winding streets and alleys for ten minutes to the Xianglu Temple.

A small temple is insignificant in the vast land of Buddhism in China, but it is eye-catching like a diamond. This is not because of the grandeur of Buddhism in the temple, but because of its unique location and Stern styling. At the front of the temple stands a huge stone pillar with a diameter of 5 meters and a height of more than 20 meters. There is a small temple on the top of the huge stone, which looks like an incense burner standing on the bank of the Yellow River from a distance.

The Xianglu Temple is known as one of the six most dangerous temples in China. The cliffs of the Xianglu Temple soar to the sky, the Xianglu Stone rises from the sky, and the Xianglu Bridge is extremely thrilling. From the internal test, the incense burner stone is only more than 20 meters high, but it is more than 100 meters high when viewed from the side of the river.

"Incense Burner Evening Photo" is one of the eight scenic spots in Jia County. Whenever the sun sets, the afterglow of the sun will project the reflection of the Guting Pavilion in the water of the Yellow River, which is picturesque and known as a fairyland. Today's time is wrong, the weather is not good, and the shadow of the incense burner cannot be seen in the Yellow River.

The monks in the monastery saw us coming in the rain, and the tickets were given a half-price discount. They took us to explain the situation of each temple one by one, and reminded us that if we are afraid of heights, we can go to the bridge. How can I stop here if I come here for the name. A 3-meter-long cross-wood bridge is used between the temple and the incense burner stone. Stepping on the bridge, it is like being in the air, standing in the incense burner, like entering an isolated island, overlooking the Yellow River. The Jialin Yellow River Bridge lies on the water. Curving the vast downstream canyon.

Leaving Jiaxian County, driving along the Yellow Sightseeing Highway again, the drizzle makes the banks of the Yellow River full of freshness, the undulating road winds forward with the Yellow River, and sometimes speeds up and dives on the banks of the rushing river, and sometimes twists and turns. Bring a super cool self-driving experience.

Baiyun Mountain Scenic Area, 5 kilometers away from Jia County, is a nationally famous scenic spot and a famous Taoist mountain. It takes half a day to visit this mountain, so we had to stop and stop for a while.

Heyeping Village is the southernmost village in Jiaxian County. At the entrance of the village is a large-character stele engraved with "Ninety-nine Bays of the Yellow River in the World", and the full text of "Yellow River Boatman Song" is on the back. "Yellow River Boatman Song" is the pinnacle of China's Yellow River music culture. It is hard to imagine that such an astonishing work was written by Li Siming, a Yellow River boatman in the village. Li Siming's family is poor and landless, and he has been running around in the turbulent waves for generations, but he is a capable person in the village. He can not only sing but also compose lyrics by himself. He summed up the simple language with his experience as a boatman, and sang a song that shocked China and foreign countries. "Yellow River Boatman Song". Li Siming not only has a very high musical talent, but also has a noble moral sentiment. At the age of 79, he rescued people who fell into the water and drowned. A boatman who galloped all his life, his soul finally returned to the Yellow River, which haunted him in his dreams.

Continuing to drive along the road, I suddenly heard roars coming from the Yellow River. I stopped to wait and see. It turned out that I had arrived at the Erqi Park of the Yellow River. Moraine, in the dictionary, means sand and stones in the water. The largest moraine in the Yellow River is Hukou, and the folks call Ermoraine is the Datong moraine in Wubao. This is a turbulent torrent on the Yellow River. The original 400-meter-wide riverbed suddenly narrowed to more than 80 meters, and the height difference was close to 10 meters. , Standing on the road, you can hear the deafening roar.

Going down to the shore, the waves are splashing in front of your eyes, the sound of the waves is echoing in your ears, the muddy yellow river water is wild and unrestrained, and the mist of the turbulent waves hitting the shore fills the sky. Facing the rolling water of the Yellow River, no one will not be impressed by this magnificent scenery. Shocked by the turbulent and unstoppable momentum.

Leave Datong Erqi and arrive at Wubao in half an hour. Wubao County is located on the bank of the Yellow River, across the river from Shanxi Liulin, but 90 years ago, the county seat of Wubao was still on the top of Wushan Mountain, 3 kilometers north of the city. The old city of Wubao, with the Yellow River as the pond in the east, the gully as the moat in the west, the official road down to the river bank in the south, and the main road outside the north gate connecting the back mountain, surrounded by mountains and water, has a magnificent momentum. The dangerous area of ​​"Wan Fu Mo Kai" is known as "Bronze Wu Fort".

This is a poster "The Last Remainer of the Millennium Stone City" seen at the Shanxi Pingyao International Photography Exhibition a few days later. The photographer took 17 years to record the life of Wubao Stone City from 13 households with 32 people to 1 household with 1 person. Historical changes, the last keeper is the mother of the lady we saw in the small courtyard. According to the lady, since her father passed away, only an elderly mother remained in the huge stone city. The children all wanted to take her to live in the county town, but the old man refused to go down the mountain. She felt that sitting in the yard of the stone city and smelling Zaoxiang, stand by the city wall and look at the Yellow River. This kind of life is very good, and the helpless children have to take turns to stay on the mountain to take care of them.

According to historical data, this stone city has a considerable scale for thousands of years, including 700 years as the county seat, with county government, prisons, schools, Guanyin Temple, Notre Dame Shrine, chastity archway, shops and shopping streets in the city. Due to the relocation of the county seat in the 1930s, the bombardment by the Japanese army in the 1940s, and people moving away due to inconvenient transportation, this old city, known as "the first stone city in China", has become an empty city. At that time, Tongwu Fort was already in ruins. Fortunately, the decline of Shicheng has stopped. The sign of Shicheng Management Office has been hung on the door of a house, and many collapsed buildings are being repaired. I hope that in the near future, the city will no longer be full of jujube trees. Falling desolate scene.

Xingwen Academy was built by Chen Yuanjie and Zhang Luchen, the two magistrates of the Qing Dynasty. The moon gate in the yard contains the meaning of winning laurel in the middle of the moon. There is a woodcut couplet on the gate: Progressing civilization, hope that all students have aspirations; enthusiastic about education, rest here unmanned. Hengpi: There is no talent anywhere.

There is actually a special girls' school in this place, which shows that the level of civilization in Wubao in the old days was not low. It is said that in order to encourage girls to study, the government waived tuition fees and provided paper for all girls entering the school.

The "Three Things Admonishment" in front of the county government gate is also eye-catching. This is the official "Declaration" inscribed by Hanwen School, the magistrate of the Ming Dynasty. He always reminded himself that "your salary is rich, the people are fat and the people are anointed, the people are easy to abuse, and the sky is hard to bully", and engraved the "Declaration" on the stone tablet at the gate of the county government. superior.

Qing Proverb: Wealth is the fat of the people, and if you strip it, you will groan frequently. A scholar's behavior is like jade, but if it is tarnished, it is not precious. Willing to keep Changlu, don't get dirty. The French Open has been woven, and the population is on fire. Once slaughtered and humiliated, there is no ambition. Chaste and white, set an example for Hou Kun.

Shen Zhen: The actions of officials are beneficial to the disease. Being small and cautious can cause a lot of misfortunes. The government and the people suffer, and the body and relatives. Issues must be reviewed, and success must be complete. Conscientious, day-saving and time-saving concept. The end is as it was at the beginning, the government is peaceful and the people are safe.

Diligence Proverb: If you are straight and negligent, you will be honest in your job. Xi'an is the only one who eats the king's salary. I am ignorant and cool to ask for clothes, but I forget my meal every day. Don't be afraid of difficulties, don't delay in pleasure. An inch of yin is a pity, but no poison is willing. He has made great achievements and has a good reputation as an official.

The county magistrates of Wubao spoke well and did well. There are many good officials in Stone City who govern for the people, and Zhan Shaode is one of them. During the reign of Emperor Yongzheng, Zhan Shaode was in office for five years. He was honest and upright, and made outstanding achievements in governing. In Wubao, there is also a strange story about the resignation of the county magistrate Zhan: It is said that when Zhan Shaode left office, the people poured out of the city and set up wine at the door of the house to send them off. , and then left generously.

Finally, we boarded the incomplete city wall of Shicheng and watched the torrential Yellow River rolling in from the north and galloping south. The old city on the mountain has fallen, and the city below the mountain is rising. In the past, people hid on the mountain in order to survive, but now people are rushing to places with convenient transportation. The natural moat of the Yellow River has been used to separate east and west since ancient times. Today, bridges connect Shanxi and Shanxi. We will go down the mountain and cross the Yellow River to Qikou in Shanxi.

Leaving Shicheng, driving across the Wuliu Yellow River Bridge called Friendship Road with the sunset, and arriving at the ancient town of Qikou in Linxian County is already sunset.

The Tairenxing Hotel I stayed in is a newly built two-story brick and stone cave dwelling by the Qiushui River. There is also a basement floor for restaurants and storage. The boss said that the new house is more comfortable than those old cave dwellings on the bank of the Yellow River. A large number of old people from Shanghai live in the inn. Southerners who are used to seeing small bridges and flowing water may be more interested in this rough Northwest style.

When we arrived late, only the main room on the ground floor was left in the inn. The room was spacious and tidy, much better than the hotels and restaurants in the city. Qikou is a key point of our itinerary. There are ancient towns, Xiwan Village, Lijiashan, and the Yellow River Gallery. Therefore, we need to change the mode of marching in the past few days and set up camp here for two nights.

After dinner, I heard the buzz of people in the square next to the inn, so I hurried over to see the excitement. Today is the weekend, a performance team from the county seat is performing a powerful northwest wind, hot dance moves, high-pitched tunes, attracting a large number of foreign tourists, local residents are also out of the house, they are either sitting on tractors or standing On the high wall in the distance.

Day 8: Qikou

Visit Qikou Ancient Town in the morning, visit Xiwan Village and Lijiashan in the afternoon

Qikou belongs to Linxian County, Shanxi Province. The Yellow River flows from the north, and the Qiushui River flows from the east. A T-shaped intersection is formed here. The clear and green Qiushui River merges into the chaotic Yellow River. The other side of the river is yesterday. I have been to the two moraine rapids.

Nine bends and eighteen bends of the Yellow River, only the mouth of the moraine locks the throat and pharynx. The wharf is full of boats and rafts, and the goods can not be carried by mules and horses.

The prosperity of Qikou is due to the treacherous hidden reefs of Datong Qi. Merchants who escorted boats from the upper reaches looked at Qikou and sighed. The full cargo had to be unloaded on the shore and turned overland, and hired mules, horses and camel teams to deliver them to Taiyuan, Beijing and Tianjin. The special status of the flood and dry wharf has allowed Qikou to have more than 300 shops of various types, and more than 100 boats to and fro every day. Cigarettes, Qikou has become an important commercial and trade center in northern China, which is famous in half of China.

With the development of railways, highways and bridges, the water transportation of the Yellow River has withdrawn from the stage of history, and the once prosperous Qikou has become the bleakness of today. Brilliant ancestors left a rich legacy to future generations. All types of water transport and trade towns such as warehouses, ticket offices, pawnshops, and temples can still be seen here, but the functions of these buildings have changed and become tourism-related buildings. Inns, restaurants and attractions.

The Qikou Inn and the Yellow River Hotel above the Yellow River Wharf stand out from the surrounding buildings. With the rhetoric of the Yellow River bank and old cave dwellings, they become the most attractive inns in Qikou. Their predecessors were Sihetang and Rongguang Store, both of which were engaged in the business of sesame oil and grain. In their heyday, they could be described as "hundreds of boats parked in the window and thousands of camels in the door". ", east to Beijing, Tianjin and Taiyuan.

The Black Dragon Temple is a landmark building in Qikou. It was built with funds raised by the town's merchants in the past, in order to pray for safe sailing and prosperous business. The Black Dragon Temple is revered as a sacred palace, and the couplet hanging outside the gate of the mountain is a couplet of "Wufu, Minxi, a small city, the sound of the river and the beauty of the mountains", which is a high concentration of the history of Qikou.

The incense ceremony of the Black Dragon Temple seems to be contracted by these few people. As long as tourists go to offer incense, these two people always come uninvited and stand on both sides. Giving more and giving less does not communicate. The Sanxian, an old man outside the temple, sang really well, and his high-pitched roar attracted everyone to stop and watch.

With its rich loess culture, Qikou has already become the most mature tourist area along the Yellow River. Throughout the morning, we wandered around the seven streets and eight alleys exuding sadness, looking at the original houses and the old people wearing white scarves.

Wearing a double-breasted black jacket, long dungarees wrapped around the waist, a white sheep-belly handkerchief on the headband, and a single-lens reflex telephoto in the hand. This is not the Northwest Han Dynasty with the loess and the back facing the sky. This is the well-informed ancient town. Gold medal guide.

At noon, I ordered a plate of fried pork at the Liangsheng restaurant next door to the inn. Shanxi people are very authentic in making this dish. During the meal, I negotiated with the boss about one thing, and hired his car to take us to Lijiashan and Huanghe Gallery. One of these two places has a narrow mountain road, and the other is under major road repair. It is difficult for us to drive by ourselves.

The afternoon plan is to go to Xiwan Village and Lijiashan. These two villages are the places where local tyrants who made a fortune in Qikou settle their families. Xiwan Village is a manor built by a rich man surnamed Chen. It is basically connected with the town. It is only 2 kilometers up the Qiushui River. Layer upon layer has been hung up to the mountainside.

The village is guarded by walls, and there are three gates in the south, implying the Taoist thought of heaven, earth, and man. The five vertical lanes are named after gold, wood, water, fire, and earth, representing the five branches of the Chen family. The two horizontal alleys connect the courtyards of the five branches in series, and the courtyards and households of the whole village are connected, forming a crisscross closed network.

Xiulou Courtyard is a typical representative of Xiwan residential buildings. It is equivalent to the four-entry courtyard in the plain area, but due to the terrain, the four-entry courtyard has four upper and lower floors. Each courtyard is connected by a small door, and the roof of the lower floor is It is the courtyard on the upper floor, the courtyard on the ground floor is where the staff live, the courtyard on the second floor is the residence of the family, the guest room on the third floor, and the embroidery building on the fourth floor. Outside the courtyard is a wide garden.

The ancestral hall of the Chen family is the place where the tablets of the ancestors of the Chen family are enshrined. The couplets on both sides are: "Zu Dou is in the hall to show the virtue of the ancestors, and Qi Qiu has been invigorating the family for thousands of years." It is said that this is an intimate relationship of the same root and clan.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, we took the car of the owner of Shuangsheng Restaurant to Lijiashan. We were accompanied by a Shanghainese couple we met in Xiwan Village. We will travel together for the rest of the journey. Compared with the bright houses by the river in Xiwan Village, Lijiashan is much more hidden in the valley. Standing on the bank of the Yellow River, there is no trace of the village at all, which is suitable for low-key local tyrants to live in seclusion. Lijiashan was built by two rich men surnamed Li in Qikou. People used to call them East Rich Man and West Rich Man.

Regarding the cave dwelling tribes in Lijiashan, there is a local jingle: Speaking of Lijiashan, the appearance of the village is not ordinary. It's like a phoenix spreading its wings, dancing in the air. It may be more vivid to look up from the bottom of the ditch. The mountain is the phoenix head, and the left and right mountains are the phoenix wings. The folk houses and caves stretch from the bottom of the valley to the top of the mountain along the 50-60 degree slope, with as many as nine layers.

Lijiashan is famous thanks to the great painter Wu Guanzhong. The master came here to collect folk songs 30 years ago, and when he saw such a majestic cave dwelling tribe, he exclaimed repeatedly: it is hard to find such a house all over the world. The effect of celebrities is huge. Just such a sentence immediately attracted painters, photographers, ancient construction masters, and tourists from all over the country. Even the national ministries and commissions awarded Lijiashan a plaque of "China's famous historical and cultural village".

Lijiashan is much more lively than Xiwan Village. Many tourists who come to Qikou come for this cave dwelling tribe. There is an endless stream of people taking pictures, sketching, and wandering. At present, the village is in a state of free visits. Catering and inns were set up in the cave dwellings.

This down-to-earth elder sister is the tour guide we are looking for in the village. She also holds a certificate to work. She used standard Shanxi Mandarin along the way to tell us the story of the rich man from East and West. When the tour was about to end, she sang a euphemistic and desolate Shanxi folk song Say goodbye to us. As the sun sets, we return to Qikou to rest. In fact, we really should stay in this village for one night.

Day 9: Qikou, Shanxi - Wave Valley, Jingbian, Shaanxi

The whole journey is 260 kilometers, and the high-speed toll is 95 yuan

Driving route: Yanhuang Highway, Qingyin Expressway/G20, G307, Wuyang Road.

In the morning, visit the Yellow River Gallery Scenic Spot in Linxian County, in the afternoon, visit Jingbian Wave Valley in Shaanxi, and stay in Jinxin Farmhouse in Jingbian Wave Valley in the evening.

After breakfast, I went to the Yellow River Gallery with the Shanghai couple and the small boss of Shuangsheng. Fortunately, we chartered a car to go there, otherwise we would not know where to go around the road that is being broken and overhauled. In addition, the cost is also saved. It costs 300 yuan for individual tourists to rent a boat in the gallery, and the four of us chartered a car and chartered a boat for a total of 200 yuan. The small boss said that he has an agreement with the gallery, a boat costs 100 yuan, and he himself earns 100 yuan for the round-trip 80 kilometers. The Yellow River Gallery is located in Yanyaoshang Village, 40 kilometers north of Qikou. It is contracted and operated by the four brothers of the He family in the village. We took Master He’s speedboat and sailed in the rapids of the Yellow River to the cliffs carved with beautiful patterns.

The Yellow River Gallery, also known as the Yellow River Water Erosion Relief, is the traces of time carved on the cliffs of the Yellow River by wind and rain. As for the reason for the formation of these reliefs, this has to be explained by geologists. Generally speaking, the sandstone of this cliff contains different substances, and some of them gradually decompose and fall off under the action of wind erosion and water turbidity, thus leaving behind the stone on the sandstone. Various patterns like reliefs, these patterns are full of poetic and picturesque, some are like plants, humans and animals, some are like grottoes, some are like music symbols, some are like code books, in short, as long as you have rich imagination talent, you will be here Find pictures that come to life.

This boulder is like a dragon throne. Master He took us ashore here, and he wanted to use this stone to take some special photos for us. The photos taken by Master He belong to the frame composition. It cleverly uses the different angles of the stone holes to take interesting photos, which brings joy to our travel. He said that this shooting method was figured out on the banks of the Yellow River all the year round, and humorously said that most people don't take pictures, which is actually related to the fact that there are fewer tourists today and he has more time.

It’s past noon when we returned from the gallery to Qikou. Today’s destination is the Wave Valley in Jingbian, Shaanxi, 250 kilometers away. We feel that we can’t waste time on lunch and must hurry on the road. Maybe we can catch a good sunset in Wave Valley. We ate dry food while driving, crossed the Yellow River again into Shaanxi, and drove all the way to the reserved Jinxin Farmhouse in Wave Valley. The boss' daughter immediately took us to the Flame Danxia area, and finally got an hour of sunset photo time as we wished.

The wave valley and the lotus are both red sandstone landforms, but the lotus is "pork belly", while the wave valley is a single red color, and the texture is a little harder. The biggest feature of Wave Valley is its lines. Some people call these lines rocky waves, and some call them more artistically the solidified ten thousand hectares of red waves on the Loess Plateau.

Jingbian Wave Valley became popular in the last three to five years. It used to be "hidden in the boudoir and no one knew it". Even the locals seldom paid attention to it. At most, it was boys in the village playing or people going up to the mountains to herd sheep. until here. In the past, people even hated this sandstone gully because it didn't grow any grass and affected people's traffic. People in Yanjiazhaizi have to thank those senior donkey friends and photographers for turning this nearly 20 square kilometers of sandstone ravine into an attractive and rare resource. Now sensitive capital has poured in, and the future plan is to build it into a national and even world-class boutique scenic spot. Wave Valley has three viewing areas, which used to be simply called ABC area, but now they all have nice names: Flame Danxia, ​​Water Danxia, ​​and Earth Center Danxia.

At dusk, the Flame Danxia looks more rosy, and the low light illuminates the shallow rock textures more brightly and darkly, with distinct layers. Some of the rock patterns here are like strings on the earth, playing different rhythms with the high and low beats of light and shadow; Some of them are like raised spinning tops, undulating up and down between the sky and the earth; some are like huge pieces of floral cloth with plain flowers on a red background, festive and elegant.

The unenclosed area can be in close contact with the sandstone, but I am really afraid of trampling on these not too hard sandstone. As the sun sets, the last light and shadow left on the red rock is still wonderful.

Day 10: Jingbian Wave Valley - Yan'an

The whole journey is 170 kilometers, and the high-speed toll is 50 yuan

Driving route: Wuyang Road, Baomao Expressway/G65, Yanyan Road.

Visit Wave Valley Scenic Spot in the morning, visit Yan'an Zaoyuan and Yangjialing in the afternoon, and stay at the 7-day chain hotel in Yan'an in the evening.

Woke up early in the morning and wanted to see the sunrise of the Red Rock Grand Canyon, but the sky at dawn was only a little red, and the duration was extremely short. Before the sun could smile, it was covered by dark clouds. We I knew it was going to rain again. There is a row of big windmills standing on the top of the hill in the distance, and the nearby gas field station is bursting with flames. The natural resources here are really rich.

When we arrived at the Danxia area on the water, it was overcast, but the scenery was still amazing. Unexpectedly, in the ravines of loess and red sand, there is still a large lake as green as jade. It is like a cornucopia, receiving the divine water flowing from the surrounding mountains. It is also like a mirror, reflecting the heavy makeup. The peerless beauty that fades away.

Longyan Spring is one of the top ten scenic spots in Wave Valley, and it may also be the main source of the formation of this lake. If you don't get close to it, looking from a distance, the spring cave hidden by green trees and red rocks looks mysterious. It is 30 to 40 meters deep from the top of the mountain to the surface of the lake. The emerald green lake is surrounded by strange-shaped red rocks such as Sister Rock, Fengwei Rock, and Crocodile Mouth. The strange rocks and holy water are really beautiful.

The life of the sheep here is also hard, not comparable to those of the same kind on the prairie who are more relaxed. They have to forage for food every day, so that they can get enough food for growth.

After breakfast, head to the Danxia area in the center of the earth. The danxia in the center of the earth in the drizzle, the red sand is crimson purple, and the color is dark. Standing on the viewing platform and looking at it from a distance, several ocher red gullies appear in front of you like knives and axes.

Danxia in the center of the earth, deep canyons, steep cliffs and steep slopes, a red plank road leads to a secluded and winding path, leading people to a strange and mysterious world.

Some of the red rocks on both sides of the plank road are choppy, and some are spinning tops.

The mountain in the distance is called Yanjiazhaizi. The cave on the cliff is the hiding place for the villagers to avoid bandits in the old days.

This is a line of sky at the bottom of the valley. It is a narrow gap that is 20 to 30 meters deep and more than 100 meters long, and the narrowest point can only pass sideways, formed by thousands of years of Fengshui cutting the mountain. This is a dead end. It is raining today, and there are not many tourists who come here. When the weather is fine, someone must guard the entrance, otherwise all those who cannot get in or out will be blocked inside. Taking pictures in rainy days is easy to damage the camera. When the hand is stained with sandstone powder and then rotate the focus, the sand will be brought into the lens. When the lens is twisted and there is a grinding sound, the camera should be repaired.

After lunch, we rushed to Yan'an in the rain. As soon as the car stopped in Zaoyuan, an old man with a white scarf on his head, a snare drum hanging on his waist, and a red streamer drumstick in his hand danced towards him. Vigorous, coordinated posture is also coordinated.

The hotel I stayed in was near the Yanhe River. After dinner, I went to the Yanhe Bridge. Due to the dry season, the rolling Yanhe River turned into a stream.

Day 11: Yan'an - Yanchuan Qiankun Bay

The whole journey is 140 kilometers, and the high-speed toll is 40 yuan

Driving route: Yanyan Expressway/G2211, Xintu Road

Visit Yan'an Memorial Hall in the morning, and stay at Dongxiong Farmhouse in Xiaocheng Village, Qiankun Bay at night.

The weather was a bit cold in the morning, and the continuous autumn rain affected the tour. After visiting the Yan'an Memorial Hall, we went to Qiankun Bay in the rain.

After getting off the Changyan Expressway, there is still a 25-kilometer Panshan Road. The road condition is okay, but the rain and fog are too heavy. The closer to the Yellow River, the worse the visibility. Fortunately, the journey was safe. In the evening, we arrived at Xiaocheng Village by the Qiankun Bay and stayed in Dongxiong Farmhouse. The cave dwelling of this family was dug out of the loess, with some decorations made of stone and wood for the exterior and plastic panels for the interior. Because of its good appearance, it hung a signboard of the sketching base.

There are even older cave dwellings in Xiaocheng Village. According to the exquisite patterns on the stone carvings of this old cave dwelling, folklore scholars believe that it was built when the Xiongnu warriors invaded Yanchuan. It has a history of 1,500 years. If it does not collapse, I am afraid it is also a miracle in the history of residential buildings in the world.

After dinner, I came to the Qiankunwan Hotel in the village. The small stage in front of the door was performing a passionate drama of northern Shaanxi style, and the level of the actors could be called professional. The high sky in northern Shaanxi, the thick soil in northern Shaanxi, the stretches of loess land and the turbulent water of the Yellow River have created the straightforward, stubborn, and mellow character of the people in northern Shaanxi. People in northern Shaanxi love to sing, which sounds like a roar to outsiders. It is said that it has something to do with the ravines on the yellow plateau. Singing a section at the top of your voice can drive away the loneliness in the mountains, drive away the fatigue of the day, and relieve the inner sorrow.

Day 12: Shaanxi Qiankun Bay - Shanxi Hukou

The whole journey is 140 kilometers, driving along the Yellow Sightseeing Highway

Visit Qiankun Bay Scenic Spot in the morning, and stay overnight at Hukou Waterfall Hotel in Ji County, Shanxi.

The Yellow River has formed five large bays in the Baili section of the Yanchuan River. From north to south, they are the whirlpool bay, Yanshui bay, Fusi bay, Qiankun bay and Qingshui bay. Together, they form the Yanchuan Yellow River. Snake Song National Geological Park.

Qiankun Bay Scenic Area is the main part of Snake Song Geopark, including several scenic spots such as Qiankun Bay, Qingshui Bay, Huifeng Village, Yellow River Plank Road, Xiaocheng Village, and museums. By the way, if you only want to see Qiankun Bay, then just like us, live in Xiaocheng Village the night before, and go to Qiankun Bay at dawn the next day, which can save the entrance fee of 90 yuan. Our plan was to see Qiankun Bay at sunrise. Just after 6 o'clock, we passed the gate where the staff had not yet arrived, but unfortunately it was still rainy. This is also very strange. This time I walked on both sides of the Yellow River for 14 days. Whenever I was on the Shanxi side, the sun was shining brightly, and the autumn colors were just right, but once I arrived in Shaanxi, it was raining every day, and it was dark and hazy.

The contest between water and stone has created the magical Super Yellow River Corridor, and the "nine bends and eighteen bends" have been perfectly interpreted in Qiankun Bay. The Yellow River in front of us changed its masculine and roaring character, and gently spun out a serpentine geological landscape. The sun has risen, but it has been hiding above the clouds. Occasionally, a ray of light will penetrate through the gaps in the clouds. Although the sunrise of the magnificent Qiankun Bay cannot be seen, the erratic rain and fog make this big bay beautiful. There is a mysterious and hazy beauty.

The magical shape of this big bay has an ancient myth. It is said that Taihao Fuxi's family here "looks up at the sky, and looks down at the ground". The Tai Chi diagram created the innate Tai Chi gossip and pioneered the Chinese civilization of human beings.

On the left side of the river, there is a small island that resembles the footprints of a giant. The local people call it "Shoe Island", and the official name is Dingqing Island. The origin of Dingqing Island, some say that Fuxi and Nuwa will spend their lives in this place, while others say that the border between the two provinces means "the goodness of Qin and Jin Dynasties". From a distance, the island is lined with trees, surrounded by paths, and a solemn statue of Fuxi stands at the end. The small island is a place to visit in Qiankun Bay. You need to take a speedboat at Fuxi Wharf to get there. However, due to the recent flooding of the Yellow River and the flooding of the wharf, the speedboat project has been closed to tourists.

After lunch, go to Hukou. This section is about 150 kilometers along the Yellow Road, with a steep slope. It is not on the bank of the Yellow River, but built on the loess wall about 10 kilometers west of the Yellow River.

It was almost evening when we arrived at Hukou, and it took a lot of trouble to find a hotel. Yichuan on the Shaanxi side has a narrow terrain, with no villages and towns, and only the slightly more expensive Yunshang in the scenic area is the place to live. The Waterfall View Boat, and Jixian on the Shanxi side is a mature town full of shops. As the rooms on both sides are very tight, In the end, Mr. Li and his wife from Shanghai stayed at the waterfall boat in the Shaanxi scenic spot, and we stayed at the Hukou Waterfall Hotel on the Shanxi side. In hindsight, whether it is from an economic point of view or an ornamental point of view, it is more appropriate to live in the Waterfall View Boat.

Day 13: Hukou - Pingyao, Shanxi

The whole journey is 290 kilometers, and the high-speed toll is 90 yuan

Driving route: Qinglan Expressway/G22, Jingkun Expressway/G5

Visit the Hukou Waterfall Scenic Spot in the morning, visit Pingyao Ancient City in the afternoon, and stay at the 7-Days Premium Hotel in Pingyao for the night.

Hukou is a large moraine on the Yellow River. When the mighty Yellow River reaches Hukou, the 400-meter-wide river surface suddenly becomes a deep trough with a width of only 40 meters. The yellow water pours into the trough in three directions, and the turbulent waves are like thousands There are tens of thousands of horses, the waterfalls are like soldiers from heaven, and the deep trough is like a huge teapot, collecting all the water of the Yellow River that is rushing all over the world.

Hukou Waterfall is a pearl inlaid on the Jiuqu Yellow River. It is shared by Shanxi and Shaanxi on both sides of the Yellow River. Many people are entangled in whether to enter the Shaanxi scenic spot or the Shanxi scenic spot. The scenic spots on both sides have their own promotional rhetoric. I was called to the Shaanxi side by Mr. Li from Shanghai. He said that the corridor outside Guanpufang where I live can take pictures of the Hukou Waterfall overlooking it. Not everyone can enter this hotel to shoot, it must be a hotel guest, and entering this hotel is basically equal to entering a scenic spot. I don’t know how Mr. Li told the hotel supervisor that after reporting the car number, the hotel security let us in.

The outer corridor of each floor of the hotel is actually a viewing platform, and there are four heights to photograph the waterfall together with the ground. The hotel is more than 100 meters away from the river. Although it is a bit far away, the condescending perspective is superb, without interference from others, and you can take pictures at will on the 100-meter-long corridor on several floors with a shelf. Today's Yellow River water is relatively large and appears to be surging, but the large water level will also raise the water level of the deep groove and reduce the height of the waterfall, affecting the magnificence of the waterfall.

This is a picture taken with a slow shutter speed, and the turbulent Huang Tao has turned into a head of smooth yellow hair.

After shooting at a high place, I am ready to go down to the shore. The steps from the hotel to the scenic spot are guarded by hotel inspectors, but it is relatively easy for hotel guests to walk down this step. The momentum of the Yellow River felt at close range is even more ferocious.

The sound of water and stone colliding is like the sound of thousands of drums, like thunder in a drought, and the loud noise of "the Yellow River is roaring" makes it impossible for two neighbors to hear each other's voice clearly.

Huge torrents of yellow water splash and mist rise into the air, and billowing white smoke from the bottom of the water will wet your clothes and blind your eyes.

The Yellow River is named because of its yellow color. The Yellow River is known as the Mother River because the sediment here makes the alluvial plain downstream. The Yellow River is regarded as the spiritual totem of the Chinese nation because of the majestic momentum here. The Shanxi-Shaanxi Grand Canyon came to Hukou and played the most exciting movement in the melody of the Yellow River. If it continues, the torrent of the Yellow River is still surging. I really want to follow this Yellow River Sightseeing Avenue all the way to the foot of Huashan Mountain, but we need to turn back here, leave the Yellow River, bid farewell to Mr. Li from Shanghai, and we embarked on the journey back to Beijing.

Due to the distance from Beijing, we decided to stay in Pingyao for one night. Twenty years ago, I went to Pingyao on a business trip. At that time, Pingyao was not so popular, there were no lights and festoons everywhere, and the streets were very quiet. I remember that I entered the escort agency and the bank, and had lunch at noon. After eating a noodle meal, he left in a hurry.

Like most ancient towns, Pingyao also has a glorious past. Looking at the still intact grand city walls, regular blocks, exquisite residential buildings and rows of shops, it is not difficult to imagine how rich it was back then. The past prosperity of Pingyao confirms the old saying that "if you are poor, you want to change". 500 years ago, Pingyao was still a barren land with frequent floods. With hard work, tenacity and shrewdness, they gradually opened up a road of merchants paved with gold and silver. People who accumulated wealth returned to their hometowns and built exquisite courtyards and shops for their parents, wives and children. The impoverished town has become a city of wealth that attracts the attention of the world.

Rishengchang, which is famous for "connecting the world", represents the glory of Pingyao. It is the first private financial institution in China that specializes in deposits and remittances. , actually controlled more than half of the country's financial institutions. Feng Shui took turns. At the beginning of last century, Pingyao on the Loess Plateau and Shanghai facing the sea competed in a financial arena. In the end, the circulation of silver and silver was defeated at the foot of banknotes. The face is alive, and the Escort that came with it has also stepped off the stage of history.

The hustle and bustle of merchants gathering and banknotes is long gone, but the cornices and carved walls, blue bricks and gray tiles, city walls and city buildings left by the ancestors make this ancient city still alive. People do small businesses indifferently, continuing those The mellow aroma of aged vinegar, the fragrance of beef, and the aroma of wheat from oat noodles.

Among the various scents wafting over Pingyao, the scent of vinegar is undoubtedly the strongest. Shanxi people love to be jealous because Shanxi people are good at making vinegar. "Jinquanyong" is the most famous vinegar-making workshop in Pingyao. For more than 200 years, it has been attracting vinegar customers and friends from all over the world with its red sauce, long-term storage and long-lasting food. Now the vinegar workshop not only sells it, but also sells it in kind. Introduce the vinegar-making process with pictures and texts, and inherit the Jin vinegar culture in a panoramic experience.

On a night in mid-August, there is a breeze, and a bright moon hangs in the sky.

Day 14: Pingyao, Shanxi - Beijing South Railway Station

The whole journey is 580 kilometers, and the high-speed toll is 220 yuan

Driving route: Beijing-Kunming Expressway/G5, Beijing-Hong Kong-Macau Expressway/G4, Daguang Expressway/G45

Visit the ancient city of Pingyao in the morning and return to Beijing in the afternoon.

I wanted to go back to Beijing early in the morning, but the excitement of Pingyao exceeded my previous understanding of it, so I decided to spend another half day in the city, looking at the antique courtyards and seeing all kinds of people.

People attracted by China Pingyao International Photography Week

Guardian of peace

The host and guests of the ancient city

The vibrant downtown can hardly hide the long gone nostalgia

The shop smells of old times

The years revealed in the window sash

how deep is the garden

Time flies, and the ancient city is leisurely. Pingyao, which has written the legend of "crossing Europe and Asia for nine thousand miles and ruling the business world for five hundred years", is continuing to attract the attention of the world with a new attitude.

More than a year has passed since the Yellow River’s trip to Shanxi and Shaanxi. The majestic momentum of the Yellow River and the vicissitudes of the thick loess are still unforgettable. In the Year of the Gengzi Rat, the whole people live in snail houses to fight against the "epidemic". In their spare time, when they open the photos that have frozen the moment of the journey, the intermittent memories gradually become coherent again. Calm down and organize them into an article, so as to fully record the wonderful self-driving journey. trip.